


Tech Support

by Ichirinsa



Series: A Professor's New Dawn, and assorted Support Conversations [11]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:47:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24758788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ichirinsa/pseuds/Ichirinsa
Summary: Byleth is hopeless with technology. No amount of assistance has helped her get a grasp, despite her best attempts. When the Phantom Thieves recruit Futaba Sakura -- a bonafide guru of code -- it seems like there might be a glimmer of hope.
Series: A Professor's New Dawn, and assorted Support Conversations [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1765159
Kudos: 34





	1. Support Level C - Reboot

Futaba is perched on the chair in her room, outlined with a halo of artificial luminescence. Imposing as it might be, she wears a large mask in a bid to avoid the worst of this interaction. Byleth sits patiently on the edge of her bed, tapping her fingers rhythmically along her thigh. As Futaba does not use any sort of physical weapon, she has very little use for any technical training of the martial variety. Instead, Akira had a better idea. He arranged this meeting in hopes of helping with Byleth’s… lack of technological finesse, as well as to help the two of them become better acquainted outside the context of the entire team. Unfortunately, he was too busy to actually join them. As such, they’ve been locked in this standoff for a few minutes.

“So, Futaba-san…” Byleth doesn’t know where to look, nor how to begin. “I’m not great with tech.”

“I was told.” She’s barely audible from the confines of the mask.

“And I could use some help… learning the ropes?” She doesn’t even know what terminology to apply for her issues. Part of the problem is that she doesn’t have the words to describe her problems.

“...”

“So, would you be able to help me out?” She peers towards the mask’s unnervingly large eyes, hoping that Futaba’s are somewhere underneath, returning the gaze.

“...probably not.”

“Why not?”

“Kinda hopeless.”

“...Oh. Okay.” Byleth takes out her phone, then starts to look through the map for nearby places to eat that _aren’t_ Leblanc. She needs variety. As she searches, she gets an idea. “Say, Futaba-san?” Resisting the temptation to smirk, she looks over her phone.

“Hm?”

“For your help, I can pay you back by treating you to other kinds of yakisoba… or any food, really. I know you probably get a variety of the instant kind here, but it’s pretty good at restaurants, too.”

Futaba remains unmoving, statuesque, as she considers the opportunity. “...I’m listening.”

“Plus, I think it could help us get better at talking to each other. It seems like it’s a bit more difficult for you to talk to me than the others. Not that I don’t understand! I am a bit older.”

“...’s not that.”

“Hm?”

“Nothing!” Futaba discards the mask, then leaves her spot on the chair to perch on her bed instead, just next to Byleth. “So… what kind of help do you need, sensei?” Her demeanor is different now. Determined, intense. She must really like food.

“Uh… I don’t exactly know?

Futaba’s sigh strikes like a punch. “Wow, you _are_ a total noob, huh?”

_Oh, I know that word! Wait--_

“I mean, I wasn’t always. It’s not like computers and phones didn’t exist five years ago. But they changed so much that--”

Futaba’s face scoots so close to Byleth’s that she scarcely has room to breathe. “Five years?! No wonder you’re kinda inept. It’s like you’re at level five when the world is at level fifty!”

A weird comparison, but apt. Byleth backs up a few inches -- just enough to feel comfortable, but not so much that Futaba feels bad. “That makes sense.”

Futaba points a finger upward, a surefire indicator of an epiphany. “So we just have to power-level you!” She grabs Byleth’s arm and drags it over for her to stand nearby, then she gets to work at her computer. “Do you even have a computer, sensei?”

She has little choice but to stand in place and be honest. “N-no.” Her arm crosses over her torso, gripping her shoulder as if that will put a leash on the weird mutation of nerves she’s having.

“We’ll just have to change that.” With one finger, Futaba pushes her glasses up by the bridge, then she types with a speed unseen by man. The combination of velocity and accuracy are almost robotic. If this were a piano, she’d be virtuosic, but instead the symphony is one of clicks and clacks, of windows in her multi-monitor setup opening and being pushed aside, of search bars filled and their results immediately filtered through. Truly, a nocturne befitting Futaba Sakura.

Byleth dares not interrupt.

“Okay, so!” Futaba’s fingers cease, and she revolves her chair around for access to the screen and to Byleth. “If you’re gonna get good with tech, we’re gonna have to do a PC build for you. You’re a salaried adult, so I wasn’t too modest on the parts I picked for you. I’ve got each part listed right here, and the price is riiiiiight…” her pointer finger makes a cartoonish detour through the air before pointing towards a number on a monitor to her left. “...There!”

Byleth’s eyes are pushed back in their sockets by the exorbitant total. She double-checks, triple-checks that the number of zeroes is correct. “Uhhhh, Futaba… I don’t have that kind of money. I’m just a teacher, you know.”

“Oh, right. I’ll just get some cheaper options.” Futaba turns her chair back to restart her work, but doesn’t get far before being interrupted again.

Byleth taps her shoulder with one finger, hoping to stop the process before she’s too far gone. “Uh, I hate to say it… but I don’t really have much use for a computer outside of work. Even if I did, it wouldn’t have to be too powerful… just for documents and communication.”

“So you’re not a gamer, sensei?”

“I play on consoles that were around when I had more free time to enjoy video games, but that’s it.”

“Hm, so you wouldn’t even need an emulator…?”

“Emulator? Let's back up a bit here. I think for now, I should just learn some of the basics.”

“Getting a computer would help you with those basics! You gotta start at level one, sensei.”

“I’m not so sure…” Her eye wanders back to the list of components on Futaba’s monitor. “How about this: I’m not familiar with hardware. For now, could you explain what each PC part does, and how they connect to the whole?”

“Ohhhhhh, yeah! This’ll be like explaining a game’s party.” She uses her mouse to direct Byleth’s attention to each part as she explains. “We’ll start with the motherboard. It’s kinda like… well, kinda like Joker! It’s the part that everything else connects to and uses to communicate. That includes stuff that isn’t part of the computer itself, like my keyboard, or my mouse, or my monitors!” She motions to the frankly ludicrous number of monitors lining her room. “Then, there’s the CPU…”

Futaba spends just a little over an hour explaining different PC components to Byleth, as well as how they’re used in phones and other pieces of technology. To Byleth’s surprise… it’s understandable. Whenever something seems to go over her head, she asks Futaba to clarify. It’s clear that Futaba’s understanding of these devices runs deep -- a comprehension that begets the capability to illustrate in the simplest words necessary.

Plus, it seems like she knows enough to keep going, even after Byleth has a rudimentary understanding. She stops Futaba not because she’s not still learning, but out of curiosity for Futaba herself.

“You seem like you know a lot about this, Futaba-san. I’m guessing it had a bit to do with staying in this room?” She gestures around to… well, all of Futaba’s room. More than a quarter of the space is dominated by technology of some sort.

Futaba looks like she never considered it. “Oh. Yeah, I guess so. Would’ve been boring with nothing to do. I kinda started with games and moved up from there.”

“Huh. Well, thank you. I feel like I’ve learned a lot today.”

“So… you want to build a PC?”

“I’ll start with a simple laptop for work, maybe. We can go from there.” Byleth files away what Futaba taught her, even including some written notes. “In the meantime… what do you want for dinner?”

“Mwehehe…” Futaba’s devilish smirk does nothing to set Byleth’s anxieties at ease, but a promise is a promise...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Funny Story: Byleth not being great with technology was just a joke I wrote in at first to represent the fact that I removed her from a Fire Emblem game and put her into a modern setting. Turns out, the more I considered her circumstances, the more that aspect made sense.
> 
> That realization made for a perfect setup for these conversations.


	2. Support Level B - Troubleshoot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First was hardware, now software. Byleth learns more about Futaba's teaching process, her personality, and her old hobbies.

It required some simpler living for a month or so, but Byleth was able to set aside the money to buy a modest laptop. The specs are nothing special, but then again, they don’t have to be. She doesn’t need much more than something that can type up lesson plans and quizzes, receive emails, and maybe allow for some video calls with old friends from back home. Not that her phone hadn’t provided some of those functionalities, but the size doesn’t make for the most convenient way of doing so.

Besides, Futaba promised to give the tech her “special treatment.” As such, Byleth promised to not even so much as open the box before she could do so around Futaba. She was assured that Futaba would help her through the setup process and elaborate on some of the bits and bobs of the magical juju she would imbue.

And, as soon as the laptop has left its confines and is on the room’s tatami, Futaba has already unscrewed the bottom and begun to dissect it.

“Okay, Sensei, let’s see here…” She looks underneath some components here and there, an analytical eye with no missed detail, no corner unsearched. “You went with the model I recommended, I see. Eight gigs of RAM should do you nicely for whatever your plans are and you chose the SSD like I suggested. Smart.”

“Shorter boot time, you said?”

“You learn well, my pupil.” Futaba pats Byleth on the head. She’s left confused, but internally shrugs it off. With the trained precision of a bomb disarmer, Futaba closes the laptop back up, sticks in a USB, and boots the system. “Now, I’m gonna do you a huge favor. I worked on my own OS, and this’ll be waaaaay more efficient with your CPU than this crap.”

“Okay, that’s a new term. You said you’d explain a bit about software now, right?”

“OS is short for ‘operating system.’ It’s the go-between for all hardware and software. Manages it all. Most of the new commercial-made OSes are garbage. Luckily for you, mine is better. I made a version that you’d be able to use a bit easier.” The laptop boots up, and Futaba takes it to some menu that looks… less user-friendly. As if reading Byleth’s mind, she explains. “This is kinda like the… Debug mode of a game, but for a computer. It’s called a BIOS. I’m using it to choose what OS we’re launching with, so I can copy everything onto your SSD and we can work from there.”

“Makes sense.” For once, Byleth isn’t lying.

“You’re as much of a noob as I thought you would be, sensei, but you’re learning quick. Makes this real easy for me.”

“You’re a good teacher.” When Futaba looks up from her work, that seems to have actually startled her. “Uhh, everything okay?”

“N-no, that was just a surprise attack!” Futaba hunches her shoulders and starts back to the task at hand. “With how much I can rant on and on, nobody says that about me.”

“I don’t think it’s a bad thing.”

Futaba falls silent as she puts on the finishing touches. “...And violin!”

“It’s ‘voila.’”

“Eh, whatever. Take a look at this!” She slides the laptop counterclockwise to better face Byleth. The desktop wallpaper is now instead a rotating image of the Alibaba icon. “I kinda realized after last time that power-leveling your knowledge in tech wasn’t gonna work. It’d be like me at level ninety-nine taking you into endgame dungeons to raise you from level one! Instead, you’re just gonna have to grind on your own, or else you’ll rely on me too much.” Futaba demonstrates a functionality of the OS, wherein a right-click brings a dropdown menu, and one of the options is “Wait, what?” When she clicks, it brings up a window that offers an explanation of… well, whatever the hell it is that’s clicked.

Byleth repeats the motion with other icons on the desktop. It lays out in clear terms what each program can do, from internet browsers to the gist of program files, and more. “Futaba, this is… impressive. You could get paid a lot for this, you know.”

“Eh, I don’t do it for the money. Never did.”

“‘Never did?’ I’m guessing you’re talking about when you started Medjed?”

Futaba stands up, stretching her back, then she returns to the perch on her computer chair. “Yep. There are enough bad people out there who use technology to take advantage of people like you.”

“Noobs?”

“Noobs.”

Byleth shuts off the laptop and stows it in her messenger bag. “So even when you were locked away in this room, you wanted to do something good for people.”

“Hm? I guess so. It started as just something to entertain me.” She follows the path her finger makes as she trails it along her forearm. “Only so many games I could play before I got bored. And even then, people just used the Medjed name for themselves anyway.”

“Just like some people are doing with the Phantom Thief name, huh?”

“Yeah, those buttmunchers! Leeching off of our hard work!” Futaba’s lip purses, a farcical pout.

After gathering the trash from Futaba tearing the laptop's box apart, Byleth takes a seat on Futaba’s bed. “I’m curious about something you mentioned during our last… apprenticeship, Futaba-san.”

Her grumpy appearance is discarded in an instant. “Ask away, my pupil!”

“When I asked if you found it hard to talk to me because I was older, you said it wasn’t because of that.” Byleth props herself forward on her hands. “Well, why is it?”

“Oh, that… it’s stupid.”

“No such thing.” Byleth’s facial expression is gentle, imploring.

“...it’s ‘cause you saw me talk to my Shadow. I thought you might judge me for it, especially when you had to jump in to help.”

“Futaba-san, the only judgment I have is that you are talented and you have a strong heart. That looked… well, how to put it… you were in a one-on-one battle with someone who knew all of your weak spots.”

“Every word was super-effective…” Futaba withdraws into herself somewhat. “I didn’t want you to think I was a bad person.”

“Not at all. I never think poorly of someone at their lowest.”

“...You remind me of Mom sometimes.” Futaba mumbles this so quietly that Byleth doubts she heard it.

“Hm?”

“N-n-nothing!” Futaba surprises even herself. “So! Uh… any more questions for our lesson today?”

“Two, actually.” Byleth holds up a finger for each. “Firstly: What do you want to eat as payment for this lesson?” Byleth can already see Futaba’s mouth watering at the inquiry. “And secondly: What kind of games do you play?”

“Hmmm, for today, I crave sushi!”

“Conveyor belt only.” Byleth’s wallet is still recovering from the laptop purchase.

“Fine by me!” Futaba jumps from her chair, then takes Byleth’s hand as she leads her out of her room, and ultimately, out of the Sakura residence itself. “So there’s this one RPG I got into a few years back -- Leviathan’s Sojourn X -- it was kind of a sequel to one that existed years and years ago but suddenly the franchise got revived because of a bunch of dedicated fans, and…”

She won’t be stopping any time soon. Nor will Byleth be complaining any time soon.


	3. Support Level A - Debugged and Optimized

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rather than force more lessons out of Futaba, Byleth decides it's time to bond and relax.

“It was nice to see some old coworkers again. Really, I owe it to you, Futaba. Thanks for taking into account that I wanted a laptop with a good webcam.” Byleth crooks an eyebrow and smirks. “And double thanks for not uploading your personal… ‘program’ to spy on everything I do through that thing.”

“Hey, you made the special request for both of those. As curious as I am to what weird stuff you do, I can’t drive away my best pupil.” Futaba is spinning in her computer chair, eyes focused on the ceiling. “I don’t think I have much more to teach you, since you don’t want to be the hacking virtuoso I am.”

Byleth’s bag is bigger than usual for this visit. After she’s placed it gently on Futaba’s bed, she unzips it and begins to unload its contents. “As long as I can function in society, I think I’m satisfied.”

“Then what did you come back for? I can tell you haven’t come to challenge your master… I’m way too OP for you to take on!” Futaba feigns some karate chops, then laughs as she falls back into her chair.

“Nope. This is part of a thanks for helping me so much.” Byleth turns around and extends a game cartridge in Futaba’s direction. A copy of Leviathan’s Sojourn, the original. “Want to play some together?”

Futaba’s pupils grow to the size of baseballs. “You have an original copy?! I thought you said you didn’t know how to hack? Do you know how expensive these are nowadays?” She gently plucks it from Byleth’s hands to examine the art, the plastic, the tantalizing bit of exposed circuitry.

“I had it waaay back when I played more games. My dad said it was a pain to import from Japan back then, but worth it. I thought the name rang a bell when you mentioned it, so I dug back through some of my old belongings and found it. Still in working condition, old save file intact and everything.” Then, Byleth takes out a bag containing a plethora of instant yakisoba. “Also, I got a bunch of these. You never mentioned what your favorite flavor is, so I just went for the ones that the clerk said he liked best.”

Futaba puts the game down -- as gently as she can -- and then rushes toward Byleth, jumping into her lap. She buries her head near the crook of Byleth’s arm, and softly shakes. Not knowing entirely what to do, Byleth sets her things aside and embraces Futaba as tightly as she can. With how small Futaba is, she can easily wrap her arms around her and lay her cheek against Futaba’s scalp. She even pats her on the head. 

“Is everything okay, Futaba?” She murmurs the question, not too loud, afraid to startle. “Did I do anything wrong?”

Futaba tightens her constriction around Byleth, then mumbles something inaudible into Byleth’s shoulder. Before Byleth can ask her to repeat, she separates herself, though not a substantial amount. In her shirt, she can see faint marks of absorbed tears. “Mom used to play this game with me, too… But that was before I really knew how to play.” Then, Futaba’s buried herself once more. “....’s fun, though. I wanna.”

“I did the same with my dad when he was alive, actually. When he wasn’t busy, he’d ask to play along with me. This game used to be his, in fact.” Byleth draws circles on Futaba’s skin with her fingertips. “He got pretty angry with me sometimes, too. The first time I played this game, I deleted his save file so I could play from the beginning. He tried to stay pretty calm, but I could see the smoke coming from his ears. Instead, we used it as an opportunity to spend time together.” Then, she stands up, not letting go of Futaba. She uses the moment of surprise to shift Futaba into a piggyback position instead, freeing her arms to finish setting up the game. “We beat it together, multiple times.”

Rather than drop, Futaba remains on Byleth’s back without letting go. “Heh. I can imagine it.” Her head is just to the left of Byleth’s now, meaning Byleth can hear her perfectly. “Weird that both of our parents gamed, huh?”

Byleth plugs wires and adjusts cables around the room -- though she has to try to keep them separate from the panoply of other pre-existing cables -- and then retrieves the cartridge of Leviathan’s Sojourn from its spot next to Futaba’s keyboard. “More adults would, if they had the time and the technical knowledge.” She eases it into the console with a click, then flicks the power switch. The screen dances to life, and a title screen awaits. “Let’s play from the beginning. It’s the most fun that way.”

Finally, Byleth sets Futaba back down into her chair, then she leaves a controller in her hands. “Wait, you want to play from the beginning?! That means we’ll have to erase your old file again!”

“Yep.”

“Isn’t this the one you played through with your dad?”

“Indeed it is.” Byleth navigates through the menus. 

“START NEW GAME?”   
> YES   
_ NO

“TO START OVER, OLD SAVE MUST BE DELETED.”   
> YES   
_ NO

“W-w-wait, Byleth! Don’t you want to have those memories safe here? You don’t have to go through all of this for me, you know…”

“I’ve got all those memories safe in my brain. I want to make new ones with my students.”

Futaba pouts at that accusation. “I’m not your student, dork.”

“Then how about as a friend?”

Her expression softens. “...yeah. I’d like that.”

“ARE YOU SURE?”  
> YES  
_ NO

“SAVE DELETED.”

Thankfully, it’s not a school night. Before they begin, Byleth prepares instant yakisoba for both of them -- she adheres to Futaba’s detailed instructions on how to make the perfect bowl, the perfect temperature, the perfect consistency. She’s amazed that even instant yakisoba could arrive at an end product resembling something made in a restaurant, rather than mass produced. Yet another lesson to be taken from Futaba.

As they’re about to start, Byleth is sitting on Futaba’s bed, legs crossed, ready to go. Futaba nudges Byleth’s arms, and then nestles herself into a spot on her lap. In this position, Futaba is sitting just in front of Byleth, both with crossed legs. Byleth’s arms reach underneath Futaba’s, each of them gripping their controllers in front. Byleth’s chin rests gently atop Futaba’s head.

“My mom used to let me sit like this when we played. That alright by you?”

“As long as you’re comfortable.” At that, Futaba purrs contentedly.

“NEW GAME START.”


End file.
